Collapsing oil drill



April. 19, 1927.

B. B. DUDLEY ET AL COLLAPSING OIL DRILL Filed Aug 24, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 41 4 INVENToRs uoz fr Y 1,625,247 B. B. DUDLEY ET A1.

coLLAPsING 01;. DRILL April 19, 1927.

Filed Aug. 24. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 3J N 3 .a om M... a

abboznuj Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

UNIE STATFS PTENT FFEQE.

BENJAMIN B. DUDLEY, 0F VISALIA, AND EDWARD R. DUDLEY, OF PIEDMONT,CALIFORNIA.

COLLAPSING OIL DRILL.

Application med August 24, 1825. serial No. 52,238.

r1`his inv-ention relates to well drilling bits in general, but inparticular to bits of the reciprocating type adapted for drilling a holelarger than the casing through which the bit works.

The principal objects ot the invention are to provide a drill bit ofthis kind, of extreme simplicity and ruggedness, and which with itsassociated parts will drill a straight hole and effectively flush thehole with` a hydraulic jet through the drill point while drilling, andwhich combination will provide 'for drilling a relatively greatincr-ease in depth of holeat each setting ot' the casing.

The above and other objects are attained through the construction shownin the accompanying drawings and in which Figure 1 is a sectionalelevation of the lower end oi a well with our drill in expanded drillingposition below the end of the casing;

Figure 2 is a transverse section along the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an end view of the cutting edges of the drill expanded;

Figure 4l is an elevation of the drill detached from its surroundingstructure;

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of the lower end of the well showingthe drill collapsed and being drawn within the casing;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of one of the collapsing jaws of the drill;

Figure 7 is a side view of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a perspective view ot the jaw retaining block;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional View of Figure'l along the line 9 9thereof;

Figure 10 is a perspective sketch of the special packing ring used.

Briefly described, our invention comprises a drill with slidablecollapsing jaws which automatically collapse by striking against thelower end of the well casing in pulling the drill, and or" the mountingoi the drill on a long guiding tube working within the casing so thatthe .drill when expanded will upon reciprocation drill a larger holethan the casing and at all times concentric therewith even to adistance, in practice, some forty feet or more beyond the lower end ofthe casing so that the casing only has to be lowered after about everyforty feet of drilling, also this combination with the hydraulic jetfeature alluded to so that the material cut loose by the ldrill will beconstantly forced to the top Vof the well between the outside of thecasing and the drilled hole which is larger than the casing.

In the illustrations, our drill comprises a shank l having a fixed jaw 2of a maximum diameter to pass through a well casing 3.

This jaw 2 is beveled at its cutting edge as shown at 2', and at rightangles is arranged a pair of collapsible jaws 4 also with beveledcutting edges as shown at 4f.

The collapsing jaws 4; each have a shank 5 slidably supported in arecess 6 in the main shank 1 of the drill so that they are free to slidelongitudinally of the drill body and they are retained in position bypassing under an enlarged portion or hub 7.

The hub diameter is equal to the width fixed jaw 2 and at the upper partthe hub is beveled at 7 where it joins the shank so as i" to be guidedinto the casing in pulling the drill, and a retaining block 8 isprovided on each sliding jaw shank so that the jaws cannot be slidentirely oli of the drill body.

This block 8 is shown clearly in Figure 8 and is seen to be providedwith a dovetail slot 9 which lits over a complementarily shaped jaw 10formed on the jaw shank, so that the block 8 is slid transversely intoengagement with the shank or" the jaw to the position shown inFigures 1and 4l, after which it is secured in place by a screw 1l passing throughthe block and entering a recess 12 in the shank.

When the jaws are pulled out to their maximum extension the jawscollapse and the blocks 8 abut against a shoulder lon the hub formed bynotching opposite sides thereof, and the blocks are provided with teeth14: so that they will out out any mud fw or stone from the shoulder whenseating.

When the jaws are pushed all the way into their respective recesses, thejaws expand and a heavy square shoulder 15 engages a shoulder 16 on thedrill hub so as to take the force of drilling, the sliding jaws havingwings 33 bearing against the vertif cal walls 34 of the ixed jaw.

' i The expanding and collapsing of the jaws accom` through longitudinalsliding is plished by cooperatively tapering the jaw Shanks as shown at17 and the central portion of the fixed jaw 2 as indicated at 18.

Thus when the jaws are slid all the wav up they are lirmly seatedagainst the shouliii) lill) llt) lit)

ders as described and expanded to the position shown in Figures l. 3 andl and held trom falling by the friction ot' lint springs t9 securedwithin the recesses t5 and over which the shanls ot the jaws slide whilebeing*r loreed outwardl)v thereby.

lllhen expanded as shown`r in pulling; theI drill, the jaws will strikethe lower end ol 'the casing;l shoe 2t) and casino' E which will slidethem down along4 the body to position shown in Figure a seating` theinner surface ot the ,idianlis against the wedge like sides itl olE thecentralY portion ot the fixed jaw L?, thus bringing the sliding; jawstogether as shown to therebjY clear the inside ot the easingr torwithdrawal :troni the well.

lil/'hen expanded the drill upon reciprocation will drill a hole 2llarger than the lasino' l o1' its shoe 20, and a' hole extending;lthrough the shank ot the drill and en'icriringV at points .22 providesl'or 'toi-ring' water directly between the cutting edges ot the drill inoperation. j

The drill is screwed at 223 to a tubular operating' shanl: 2lconsistingh ol several sections ot tubing' coupled as at 25 to providepreierabl)` a length ot' some torti' tent, and at the upper end thetubing closed by a head 2*(3 provided with ports tor tnrcin,r water tiothe drill from within the easing Si.

'llhe lower portion ot this casing 3 is prei"- erablj ot a heavier gagethan the casing` above it extending to the surface of the well torsuspension in the known manner, and this heavier portion is preferablyYabout sixty iieet in length to function as a long;l workingv barrel indrilling` to guide the head 2o ot the reciprocatingl drill rertieallj7yet provide lor a relatirely long' extension of the hole each timebefore lnaliinicT it necessary to lower the casing.

llt the upper end oi the tubular shank 2l and surroninling the head :lois a long paoliint;h ring 2e sealing oll the casing` trom this pointdown so that water :torced down in the tau-singy above thisv ring willhave to pass through the openings 2i' to the interior oli the hollow.shank 2l, and thence to emerge troni the passages to the cutting edgesot the drill. This results in a powerful jet at the cutting edgeswashing aiwajv all loosened material and forcing it upwardly through theannular spare 2S) outside ot the easing to the top o'tI the well ltsince no other channel 'l'or its discharge exists.

The ring is a split ring); and of about three inches in depth so it willride over the casingl joints in withdrawing the drill and it isprevented 'from catching; on the joints through its spetrialconstruction.

lt is reallyv two split rines 28 and 28 secured together at some pointorpoints and each section has overlapping ends as indicated in Fitejurel() where the ends A and l are separated so as to better indicate itsstructure.

llhe inner section extends below the outer seetion and seats in a groove35 in the head QT which permits though limits its outward expansion andit is held lonirltlalinally in piace by a pair ot 'threaded collars-iO-Ifil loclied together above it on the head with just sullieientclearance above the ringl'or it to operate.

Thus the ring is 'forced to il'ollow the vertical inotion et the drillin operation yet is tree for limited expansion, so that when the drillis pulled 'from the redueed internal diY anieter working); barrelportion ot the casingl J3 to the sliehtlj' larger string,l above it,the.

ringl will :treely pass all the casing;l joints on the way out, or whenlowering the drill to place utter sinn-peiling the same.

'llo better clear the joints the upper and lower corners ot the outerring section 28 are well rounded as shown. i

Above the head 2o is a suitable coupling socket 32 tor attaching theordinary drilling;l cable, not shown.

ldie Claim:

l. :l well drill compi-ising` a body with jaws slidable longitudinail)vthereon from a collapsed to an expanded position, and shoulders on saidbody and jaws adapted to engage one another when the jaws are expanded,and a lugl on eaeh olf said jaws en-` gaging' a portion olf the bodywhen the aws are collapsed, said litev and portion present- 'ng' spacedpoints ot eontaet. j

A collapsing well drill comprising,` a drill shank with longitudinalgrooves thereon, jaws with shanhs each slidably positioned in one ot thegrooves whereby the jaws are slidahle lengthwise ol the drill shank,means i'or retaining the jaws in place while permittinpsliding action,and means tor lirietionally retaining the jaw lshanlcs in position inthe grooves A reciprocable well drill, cutting jaws on said drilladapted to slide troni a collapsed position to an expanded position uponend impact ae'ainst the drill in operation, and means tor trietionalljYholdingl the jaws in exjianded relation to 'the drill.

BENJABH N L l. DUDLE Y. EDYVABD R; DUDLEY.

lOl)

llo

